QUESTION: My physician has me on a regular series of B12 shots, which he insists I need.
My friend tells me it is all hog wash and there is no such thing.
Is there any real medical reason for someone to have these treatments?
ANSWER: Anywhere from 3 to 10 percent of all people over the age of 65 are deficient in vitamin B12.
The only way to treat this problem is with injections. Detecting a deficiency of B12 isn't easy.
In fact, diagnosis of this problem is elusive and difficult, at best.
No one test can tell your doctor whether you are low in B12, and the symptoms of the problem can be confusing and vague.
Most of us consume diets that are sufficient in their content of B12.
Meat, dairy products, yeast and certain vegetables are good sources. However, some people don't absorb B12 as they should, and thus they can't depend on a balanced diet to take care of the problem.
Pernicious anemia is the most common result of the lack of B12 absorption.
People who have had extensive stomach surgery cannot absorb sufficient B12, and some people with intestinal disorders such as Crohn's disease can't absorb it either. Alcoholics are often deficient in B12, because alcohol interferes with its absorption, and because alcoholics often consume poorly balanced diets. Strict vegetarians who don't take care to balance their diets and elderly people on fixed incomes are also particularly susceptible to B12 deficiency. Symptoms of a lack of B12 in the body are a bit vague.
Fatigue, confusion, apathy and lack of appetite are common.
The skin may have a lemon yellow tint, and the tongue may be sore and beefy red.
The patient's family may report personality changes and unusual behavior.
The patient may report unusual sensations in the extremities, or a decrease in pain and temperature sensation. A reason for a vitamin B12 deficiency can usually be found.
Simply replacing the B12 with injections doesn't cure the problem; it only treats the symptoms.
If your diet is well-balanced, you don't abuse alcohol and you are truly deficient in B12, your doctor should be able to inform you as to the origins of your particular need for these vitamin injections.
The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace the counsel and advice of your personal physician.
Promptly consulting your doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical problem.
